Smarter than the average QB

Smith passes Utes into national fame

November 04, 2004|By Teddy Greenstein, Tribune college football reporter.

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah quarterback Alex Smith never has played like a freshman. Heck, he never really has been a freshman.

Smith accrued so many Advanced Placement credits in high school, he entered Utah as an academic junior. He graduated in May with a 3.74 grade-point average and a degree in economics.

But when it comes to the theories of supply and demand, the Utes' third-year quarterback looks at it a little differently.

Smith demands so much of himself, he studies 10 hours of film each week. All so he can supply his team with the most prepared quarterback in the nation.

"New Mexico played a bizarre defense, so he was in here watching film until midnight," coach Urban Meyer recalls. "I finally had to tell him to leave."

All the hard work has paid off for Smith, who finally is getting widespread recognition as a Heisman Trophy candidate.

You have heard all about Southern Cal quarterback Matt Leinart and California's Aaron Rodgers.

How about these numbers? Smith leads the nation in passing efficiency (173.9), passing yards (1,905), passing touchdowns (20) and total offense (2,289). He has completed 64.5 percent of his passes while throwing just two interceptions and running for eight touchdowns.

He had his best career passing game--359 yards--in the season opener against No. 22 Texas A&M.

Pressed again, he added: "It wouldn't be, I guess, out of the question."

Smith prefers to focus on the Utes' offense, which is producing 496.25 yards per game, second in the nation.

Smith is a perfect match for Meyer, whose complex, spread attack requires a quarterback to excel using countless plays, formations and variations. Smith starts a game with 40 plays on his wristband.

"That's probably a fifth of it," he says of the weekly game plan.

Smith was somewhat bored playing under previous coach Ron McBride.

"Under the old coaching staff, my play was impacted because the coaching was so loose," Smith says. "You were just expected to find the open receiver some magical way. If there wasn't an open receiver, you were out of luck.

"Now I always know where I'm going by the time I drop back and there's always an answer. This system is so well thought out."

Smith, the nephew of Michigan State coach John L. Smith, has a short-term focus--Saturday's 8:45 p.m. game against Colorado State--while keeping an eye on the BCS picture. Utah needs to finish in the top six of the BCS standings to guarantee a spot in the Fiesta Bowl.